AMSTERDAM, Nov 15 (Reuters) – A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered Dutch company Forafina Beleggingen, previously KBS Holland, to pay compensation to five Iranian victims of poison gas attacks during the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s after the company did not show up to defend itself.
The Iranians said Forafina supplied Iraq with raw materials during 1982-1984 that was used to produce mustard gas.
The court cleared another Dutch company, Otjiha, formerly known as Malchemie, in the same case, accepting its lawyers’ argument that it did not know the supplied raw material would be used by Saddam Hussein’s government for mustard gas.
The court will determine the amount of compensation Forafina owes the victims of the chemical weapons attack at a later stage.
Forafina could not be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
